Process of distilling liquids.



UNITED Si? ATES WILLIAM F. M. GOSS, OF Iiii'FAIII'I E, INDIANA,

ASSIGJOR TO UNITED STATES DISTILLATION COMPANY, OF 'INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A

CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

PROCESS OF DISTILLING LIQUIDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,298, dated November 11, 1902.

Application filed November 11, 1901 {"0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM I M. G088, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lafayette, in the county of Tippecanoe and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Processes 01' Distilling Liquids, (Case No. 2,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the distillation of liquids by first evaporating them and then condensing the vapors and also to allied arts, such as the concentration of solutions containing salts, sugars, and the like, by evaporation.

In an application filed by me March 12, 1900, Serial No. 8,320, fora distilling apparatus I have shown and described a novel apparatus for distilling, concentrating, and similarly treating liquids and have set forth therein the novel process carried on by the operation of that apparatus. In that application I have claimed the apparatus, but not the process carried on thereby.

In the present application I intend to claim the process as carried on by the apparatus of my said other application.

In the present application I will show and describe an apparatus substantially the same as that shown and described in my said other application, as such apparatus is exceedingly simple and easily understood and constitutes what may be considered an elementary embodiment of the type of apparatus now best known to me for carrying on my new process of distillation.

In the present application I shall claim the process as carried on by such apparatus, although it will be fully understood that I do not desire to limit myself to the apparatus shown and described or even to that type of apparatus, as it is evident that my novel process can be carried out by other means.

In the drawing the figure is an illustration, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the above-refcrred-to apparatus by which I, am enabled to carry on my novel process of distillation.

The app iratus shown consists of a series ScrialNo. 81,892. (No'spccimensd of chambers A, 13, C, D, E, and F, which can be simple cylinders adapted to contain the liquid to be distilled or otherwise treated.

The chamber A is provided with an inletand this inlet-pipe is provided with a pump a. A circulation-pipe b is extended between the upper end of the cylinderAaud the lower end of the cylinder B. In a generally similar way circulation-pipes c, (1, e, and f extend between the sl'icceeding chambers, the pipe 0 being connected with the chamber B near the top thereof and also with the chamber 0 at the bottom thereof, the pipe (Z being connected with the chamber 0 near its top and with the chamber D at the bottom thereof, and so on throughout the series. The circulation-pipes c, d, c, and are provided with pumps 0, cl, c, and f", respectively. These pumps, together with the pump a, are adapted to cause the liquid to pass from chamber to chamber, and thus induce a continuous and treated. The pump a is adapted to deliver the greatest amount of liquid, the pump 0' the next greatest, the pump d the next, and the pumps 6 and f successively less, the latter thus being. adapted to deliver" the smallest amount. Asanarrangementforsecuringthis difference in delivery of the pumps they can largest and the others successively smaller, as shown in the drawing. t is perfectly 0bvious, though, that to secure this result they could all be of the same size and could be run at different speeds, and also that other-a1 rangemeuts could be devised. It is also obvious that a steady forward circulation of the liquid from chamber to chamber could be brought about in other ways than by the use of pun1ps--as, for example, by arranging these d i l'lercnt chambers at successively lower levels. The chambers 13, O, I), E, aud Fare provided with gages Z), LP, a", and f respectively, adapted to indicate the height of liquid in such chambers.

It 'The endmost chamber F is provided with means i'or'heating its contents, or which purpose any suitable device or arrangement could of course be employed. The arrangepipe 11,, connected to the lower end thereof, 1

be made off-different sizes, the pump to the steady'forward circulation of the liquid to be ment shown consists of a steam-pipe G, e15:

connected with a pressure-reducing valve L.'

A pipe J extends from the top of the chamber E across to a point above the next preceding chamber D, where it is connected with a mixing-chamber M, this mixing-chamber M being made in a single fitting with the pressure-reducin g valve L. A pipe j is connected with the lower end of the mixing-chamber M and extends downwardlyintoand through the chamber D and thence upwardly to a point above the next preceding chamber C, where it is connected with a pressure-reducing valve L. A pipe J extends from the top of the chamber D across to a point above the next preceding chamber 0, where it is connected with a mixing-chamberM,which, as in the former instance, is conveniently made integral with the pressm'e-rcducing valve L. In asimilar way a pipej extends downwardly from the mixingchamber M into and through the chamber 0, and thence upwardly to a pressure'reducing valve L above the chamber B, and a pipe J extends across from the top of the chamber C to a mixing-chamber M above the chamber B, and also a pipe extends downwardly from the mixing-chamberM into and through the chamber 15, and thence upwardly to a pressure-reducing valve L above the first chamber A, and a pipe J extends across from the top of the chamber B to a mixing-chamber M above the'lirst chamber A. From this mixing-chamber Ma pipe j extends downwardlyinto and through the first chamber A, and its lower end terminates as an outletj". The pressure-reducing valves L L, dam, and

the mixing-chambers MM, 850., can be of any.

suitable or desired construction, and they can be made 'separutely ,eaeh'-by itself, or a combined pressure-reducing valve and a mixingchamber in' a single fitting, as shown in the drawing. The single fittings shown in the d rawingare illustrated merely for the purpose of showing an operative apparatus and are alikefortheseveral chambers. Adescription of one of them, the fitting embodyingthe combined valve L and chambers M, for instance, will sulliee for all. This fitting comprises a casting l, havingn transverse partition 2, provided with a port 'lhe p0rt3 is controlled by a valve 4 on a valve-stem 5, which latter extends upwardly out of the upper end of the fitting. The fitting is-also provided with an upwardly-extending nozzle 6, having its upper end close to the partition 2. The pipe j is connected with the upperend portion of the fitting and the pipe J with the lower portion thereof. The passagcof matter from the pipe j through the partially-closed port 3 results in wire-drawing, and this wiredrawing reduces the pressure of such matter, whereby the upper part of the fitting forms a pressure -reducin valve. Matter comingfrom the pipe J pages into the nozzle '6 and'the're becomes mixed'with matter coming through the port 3, whereby the lower part of the fitting terms a mixing-valve. The valve stem 5, being screw-threaded and rotatable bythe valve-handle, permits the adjustment of the valve 4 relatively to its valve-seat, and thereby permits the extent of pressure reduction occurring in each pressure deducing valve to be varied as desired.

The process carried on by the apparatus as above set forth will be as follows: The liquid to be treated is continually introduced into the bottom of the first chamberA through the inlet-pipe a. From this chamber a continuous circulation occurs to the chamber B by way oi the pipe b, thence to the chamber 0 by way of the pipe 0, and thence to each of the succeeding chambers in succession. The liquid in the eudmost chamber F, by reason of the heat continually applied to that chamber, undergoes continuous evaporation. The vapors thus produced will issue into the pipe J, through which they will circulate. In passing downwardlythrough the portion of the pipe-J, confined within the chamber E, the vapors will become condensed by the liquid confined in such chamber. The condensate thus formed will pass upwardly through the remaining portion of the pipe J and into the pressure reducing valve L. From this valve the condensate will pass into the pipcj', and in so doing will have its pressure reduced to an extent dependent,olcourse, upon the construction or adjustment of the valve L. The condensate will then circulate through this pipe j and into the pressurereducing valve L, where its pressure will be again reduced. After this it will circulate in succession through the pipes j", j, and j and out of the discharge-outletj, during which passage it will have its pressure-reduced by the valves L and L. The circulation of the vapors from the chamber I" through the pipe J and the condensation of the same in such pipe serves to heat the liquid in the chamber E, as a result of which evaporation occurs from the liquid in this chamber also. Vapors produced by this evaporation issue into the pipe J, through which they pass to the mixing-valve M, where they are mixed with the condensate coming from the pressure-reducing valve L. As thus mixed with this condensate the vapors pass with the same into the pipej', and during their downward passage in this pipe they become condensed. The condensate thus formed circulates through the remaining portion of the pipe J with the other condensate and has its pressure reduced by the valve L, as the-condensate previously reforred to does. 'lhencc it circulates in succession through the pipesj',

ICC

7' andj and out of the outlet j having its pressure reduced at L and L as in the case of the other condensate. The circulation of the mixture of vapors from the chamber E and of the condensate from the chamber F in the pipe] and the condensation of these vapors in that pipe have the effect of heating the contents of the chamber I) and of causing sure-reducing valve L the mixing-chamber M the. pipe 7', the valve L chamber M and the pipej", and thence out of the outlet j, having its pressure likewise reduced at'L and L. In a similar way the mixture circulating in the pipej and the condensation of the vapors of said mixture therein heats the liquid in chamber C and causes evaporation thereof. The vapors thus produced pass into the mixing-chamber M by way of the pipe J where they mix with the condensate coming from the pressure-reducing valve L after which the mixture circulates through the pipe j where its vapors are condensed. This new condensate passes along through the remainder of the apparatus with the, condensate already circulating in said pipej. The contents of the chamber B are similarly heated and evaporated, and the vapors therefrom mixed with the condensate from the succeeding chambers at M and condensed in the pipe 9', whence they issue with the othencondensate. The contents of the chamber A are heated by the circulation of the mixture in the pipej and the condensation of the vapors of said mixture therein.

It will be understood, of course, that the process is continuous and uniform. The liquidto be distilled is fed continuously to the first chamber A and circulates continuously through it to and through the other chambers 15, C, D, and E and into F. The evaporation of the liquid occurs simultaneously in all of the chambers except in the first, and the vapors issue in a steady stream into the respective vapor-pipes and are continuously condensed in the immediately-preceding chambers, and the cendensate from the various chambers collects in the return-duct formed by the pipes and is discharged in a steady stream through the outletj Thus there is brought about a continuous forward iiow of the liquid to be distilled and a continuous evaporation of the same, while at the same time there isha continuous condensation of the vapors from such evaporation and a con-.

tinuous return-flow of the condensate.

' It is obvious that since the pressure-reducin the chamber E is heated.

The new condensate circulates.

j to be lower than that of the pipe J the temperatureot the former is lower than that of the latter, and consequently the pipe y' will not heat the liquid in the chamber D to as high a temperature as that to which the liquid The temperature of the liquid in the chamber 1) will therefore at all times be lower than that of the liquid in the chamber 0 and its pressure less. For similar reasons the temperature and pressure of the liquid in the chamber 0 will be lower than in D, those of 13 lower than in C, and of A lower than in I As a result, the ingoing stream of liquid to be distilled has its pressure raised repeatedly in passingfrom chamber to chamber, and the outcomiug or return stream of distillate has its pressure and temperature reduced as it returns from chamber to chamber.

In the practice of the invention as carried out by the apparatus herein shown and described the temperature and pressure of the different chambers are regulated by adjusting the pressure-reducing valves L, L, L and L to cause a greater or less reduction of pressure. I find in order to bring abouta satisfactory working of the apparatus that it is desirable to have the total range of temperature to which the apparatus is subjected divided by equal steps between the several chambers. For example, assume that the apparatus as shown diagrammatically herewith is designed to distil water and assume an initial pressure in boiler ll of one hundred and any pounds above the pressure of the atmosphere and a temperature of discharge from the pipe J of 212 Fahrenheit. The temperature in the boiler lI corresponding to the pressure of one hundred and titty pounds will be 366 Fa'hrenheit, and the total range of temperature to which the apparatus will be subjected under the assumption named is the difference between 3156" and 212", or 154. The apparatus shown contains six chambers, and there are six steps in the course of which heat is transferred. These are, first, from the steam in. G to the steam and water in' l second, from the steam in .l to the steam and water in E; third, from the mixture of steam and water in j to the steam and water in l); fourth, from the mixture of steam and water in to the steam and water in C; fifth, from the mixture of steam and water in j to the steam and water in l sixth, from the mixture of steam and water in j to the water in A.- The steps in temperature to be equal in the particular case under consideration require that each should amount to approximately 20. lly means of the principle tlius-dclined it is always possible when the highest and lowest pressures are known to determine what should be the pressure to be carried upon it is readily determined for any material the physical properties of which are understood. It is admiting valve L causes the pressure in the pipe i ted that the principle statedis subject to some chambers, the temperature ofthe feed, and the range of temperature to which the-whole apparatus is subjected. .Its application is,

however, sufficiently general to allow the determination of the pressure to be carried upon the several chambers of any apparatus with ture sufficiently high to cause a portion of it snflicient accuracy to satisfy the requirements of practice. For the distillation of water I alsoflnd that it'is desirable to employ at least seven chambers in order to have the. condensate issuing from the apparatus entirely liquid. If less than seven chambers are employed, the condensate is a mixture of vapor and liquid. In general the number of chambers may be regarded as determining the efficiency of the whole apparatus; With a iven amount of heat available more liquid wi lbe distilled when a considerable number of chambers are employed than when a few only are available. It is desirable in the practice of the invention to cause the temperature of the liquid issuing from'the apparatus to approach as closely as possible to the temperature of the liquid supplied the same. Other things being equal, the nearer its appreach the higher will be the efficiency.

It is obvious that vthe numberof chambers can be varied at will. If but few are employed, the stream delivered from the apparatus may be a mixture of liquid and vapor, or if entirely liquid it may be at a temperato vaporize as it emerges from the apparatus. As the number of chambers is increased the proportion of the whole output which is liquid increases until when a sufficient number becomes available the total stream delivered will be liquid. A still further increase in the number of chambers will result in a lowering of the temperature of the delivered stream, causing it to approach more closely the temperature of the ingoing stream.

The capacity of the apparatus under any assumed range of temperature depends upon theamount of transmittin -surface contained by each chamber. Thecapacity is not materially affected by increasing the number of chambers. Again, assuming the apparatus to be fixed in its dimensions the capacity depends upon the range of temperature to which backward through the preceding chambers, where it serves to heat the contents of those chambers. Thus by the invention there is brought about a continuous evaporation of the liquid,v a condensation of those vapors by the liquid, and'a heating of the liquid by the condensate. In this way since there is no discharge or escape of vapors and but a single discharge of condensate there is no loss by the process except such as occn rs from unavoidable radiation and from the single discharge of condensate. It is therefore apparent that the process permits this loss to be reduced as much as possible by reducing the extent of unavoidable radiation and by causing the temperature of the discharge to approach as closely as possible to the tem-. perature of the supply. With the reduction of this loss to a minimum the etficiency of the apparatus of course is increased to a m aximum.

It will be understood, of course, as pointed outfit the beginning of this specification, that the process can be carried out by forms of apparatus differing from that herein shown, and

' within reasonable limits of space and which will provide for a disposition of the transmitting-surface such as will permit all parts of the apparatus to be readily freed from accumulations of precipitate.

In the preceding descriptions the liquid to be evaporated is described as feeding in a continual stream from one chamber to an other, eachchamber reserving for itself so much as it may be able to vaporize and allowing the remainder to be moved on to the next succeeding chamber. The water entering each chamber mingles freely with the water of that chamber from which it receives heat. It is not essential tothe theoretical working of the apparatus that this process be strictly adhered to, the requirement being merely that such chamber shall heat the water which is to be fed to the next succeeding chamber 'to a temperature approximately equal that of its own liquid prior to sending it on. in various other ways. i

What I claim as my invention is-' i I I 1. The process of distilling liquids, ivhich consists in evaporating a portion of the-liquid,

condensing the vapors so produced [by an-.

thereof, inducing a flow of the liquid toward It is obvious that this can be secured the portion first evaporated, and inducing a I flow of the condensate in the opposite .direction.

2. The process of distilling li uids, which consists in separating the liquid nto different portions, causing evaporation from each portion, condensing the .vapors from each portion by the preceding portion, employingthe condensates from the ditferent portions for evaporating the respectively preceding portions, and inducing flows of the liquid and site directions.

3. The process of distilling liquids, which consists in dividing the liquid into portions, inducing a forward circulation of the liquid from one portion to another in succession, causing evaporation from the cndmost portion, condensing the vapors therefrom by the next preceding portion and thereby heating such portion to an extent to cause evaporation, employing the condensate for evaporating the preceding portions, condensing the vapors from each portion by the next preceding portion, combining all of the condensates with the condensate of the first portion, so that each condensate acts to evaporate the portion or portions preceding that by which it was condensed, inducing a return how of the condensate in a direction opposite the direction of flow of the liquid, and reducing the pressure of the combined condensate at each portion, substantially as described.

4". The process of distilling liquids, which consists in dividing the liquid into different portions, causing evaporation from one of such portions, causing a forward circulation of the liquid from portion to portion toward said portion from which evaporation is caused, employing the vapors caused by the evaporation from said portion for heating and evaporating the next preceding portion and employing the condensate therefrom for heating and evaporating portions preceding that at which evaporation is caused by the vapors, employing the vapors from the other portions for heating and evaporating the respectively preceding portions and employing the condensates therefrom for heating and evaporating the portions respectively preceding those where evaporation is caused by the va pors, maintaining the different portions under different temperatures and prcssu res, whereby the first-1neutioned portion at which evaporation is originally caused becomes the hottest portion and the others successively cooler ones, and inducing a flow of the condensate from portion to portion in a direction from the hottest to the coldest, substan tially as set forth.

The process of distilling liquids, which consists in inducinga continuous forward (low of the liquid to be treated, applying external heat to a portion thereof so as to cause evaporation thcrefrom, employing the vapors rcsulting i'rom such evaporation for evaporating another portion of the liquid and employing the condensate resulting from the condensation of such vapors for evaporating still another portion of the liquid, and inducing a [low of tho vapors and condensate in a direction opposite to the forward ilow of the liquid, substantially as set forth.

(3. The process of distilling liquids, which consists in inducing a continuous forward flow of the ln our to be distilled heatin a l a :3 portion of the same so as to cause evaporation, employing the vapors from such evapocondensate from portion to portion in opporation for heating and evaporating an advance portion of the liquid, employing the condensate of such vapors for heating and evaporating still more'advanced portions of the liquid, employing the vapors from the portions in advance of the first-mentioned one for heatin and eva cratin the res iectivel rcceding portions and employing the condensates therefrom for heating and evaporating the respectively second preceding portions, collecting the vaporsand condensates in a single stream, and inducing a flow of the same from portion to portion in a direction opposite to the direction of llowot' the liquid, substantially as set forth.

7. The process of distilling liquids, which consists in dividing the liquid into portions, inducing a continuous forward flow of the same from'one portion to another in succession, heating the endmost portion to an extent to cause evaporation, inducing a return How of the vapors resulting fromsuch evaporation, so that they act to heat and evaporate the preceding portions and are condensed thereby, joining the vapors from each of said portions with the return stream from the firstmentionedportion, and reducing the pressure of the combined return-stream at each portion, substantially as described.

8. The process of distilling liquids, which consists in maintaining the liquid in a series of vessels, forcing liquid into the first vessel of the series and inducing a flow from it to the other vessels in succession, heating the end most vessel to cause evaporation, leading the vapors from such endinost vessel to the next preceding vessel and then the condensate and vapors to the other preceding vessels in succession so that the vapors and condensate act to heat and evaporate the contents of all of such vessels preceding the end one, leading the vapors from the other vessels of the series to the respectively preceding ones and then leading the mixture of vapors and condensate to the other preceding vessels in succession so that all of such vapors and condensates act to heat and evaporate the contents of the vessels to which they are respectively led, uniting the vapors and condensates from all of the vessels to form a single i ream, maintaining the pressures in the dil'ferent vessels successively lower than in the 'cudmost one, whereby the latter becomes the hottest and the others successively cooler, and inducinga flow of the stream formed by the united vapors and condensates from vessel to vessel in :1 direction from the hottest to the coolest, substantially as described.

in witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this lst day of November, A. l). 1901.

- WILLIAM F. M. GOSS. 

